Principal Report

Julie Monk - Thank You

Recently, our School Council President, Julie Monk, made the decision to step down from her role on School Council.

We would like to sincerely thank Julie for her incredible contributions to our school community. Julie worked tirelessly in her role as President, consistently giving up her time to support our school and help drive important initiatives.

The role of School Council President can be a demanding one, but Julie always approached it with positivity, energy, and a genuine commitment to creating the best possible environment for our students, staff, and families.

We are incredibly grateful for everything Julie has done and wish her all the very best for what comes next.

Thank you, Julie!

2025 School Council

Introducing Our 2025 School Council

We are pleased to introduce the members of our 2025 School Council. School Council plays a vital role in shaping the direction of our school, and we are grateful to all members for their commitment and support.

Office Bearers

🔹President: Adrian Caltabiano

🔹Vice President: Melissa Caligiuri

🔹Treasurer: Mark Bichan

Parent Representatives: Andrew Powell, Kate Medhurst, Kristal Maynard, Andrea Boudville

Department of Education (DE) Representatives: Karren Baker, Andrew Bloomfield, Tracy Tadd, Veronica Wuthrich

We thank all members for volunteering their time and expertise and look forward to a productive and positive year ahead!

End of Term Reminder

Just a reminder that school will finish at 2:30pm on the last day of Term 1 – Friday, 4th April.

We hope all our students and families have a wonderful break.

We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday, 22nd April for the start of Term 2!

Big Wednesday Ahead

Next Wednesday, 2nd April 2025, is set to be a fun-filled and action-packed day at Macedon Primary School.

We’re thrilled to welcome back the Hot Potato Band, who wowed us with an engaging and energetic performance two years ago. We were lucky to snap up the rare opportunity to have them return, and their show will involve the whole school.

On the same day, we’re also holding our Colour Run, which promises to be a fantastic and colourful experience for all our students. A big thank you to our Parents and Friends group for organising the powder and helping make the event possible.

It’s shaping up to be a great day for everyone!

AI Policy

Generative AI in the Classroom

Some classes at Macedon Primary School are beginning to explore the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools as part of a safe and supported learning environment. This aligns with the Department of Education’s policy, which guides schools in the safe, responsible, and ethical use of AI in education.

Generative AI tools can help students with idea generation, writing support, and creative thinking. These tools are being introduced gradually and always under teacher supervision.

Key points from the policy include:

Parental opt-in consent is required if the AI tool collects any personal information beyond a school email and password.
Students and staff must not upload any personal or sensitive information, including names, photos, or school data.
AI tools will not replace teacher judgement, communication, or authentic relationships with students and families.
We will use AI in ways that support academic integrity, with assessments designed to reflect this.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s involvement in activities using generative AI, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.

To look at the policy in more detail visit this link: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/generative-artificial-intelligence/policy

Grade 3/4 Camp – A Wonderful Experience at Camp Wyuna

This week, our Grade 3/4 students spent three exciting days at Camp Wyuna. All of the students had an amazing time and returned to school incredibly happy, full of stories and smiles.

A huge thank you to our 2/3 and 3/4 teaching teams for all their hard work in creating such a positive event. Special thanks also go to Anthony, Alex, Sandi, and Sue for generously giving up their time to attend and support the students throughout camp.

We are also grateful to the following parents who assisted and helped make the camp a success: Emma Francis, Mark Bichan, James Makin, Jane Collett, Rhiannon Iannacone, Peter Dunlop, Neil Brown, and Sue Ellen Parry.

Thank you for your time, energy, and support.

Uniform Reminder – Sports Hoodies

We know that many of our students are incredibly proud of their involvement with the Macedon Football Club and their achievements at regional sporting events—and we are just as proud of them!

We understand that students may want to wear their football or sports hoodies to school to celebrate these accomplishments. However, we’d like to remind families that these hoodies are not part of our school uniform.

Students wearing sports hoodies to school will be asked to remove them during the day.

If your child needs a school hoodie, they are available for purchase from Beleza.

Thank you for your support in maintaining our school’s uniform expectations.

Celebrating 150 Years – Fete Preparations Underway!

Preparations are well underway for our 150th Fete. We are currently seeking donations of goods and services for our silent auction, as well as possible raffle prizes. If you or someone you know can assist, please email me at Andrew.bloomfield@education.vic.gov.au, and I will pass your details on to the organising committee.

Warm regards,

Andrew Bloomfield

Principal

andrew.bloomfield@education.vic.gov.au

Macedon Primary School Newsletter

Respect, Responsibility, Creativity, Integrity, Teamwork

Issue 7 · 27 Mar 2025

In this issue